The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful during the weekend fixture. Lazio were trailing against Torino, an opponent that had let in ten goals while managing only two goals in their most recent five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their ongoing dissent in a long-running conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Falling Apart?
Was the team's progress falling apart, or was there ever any cohesion maintaining its structure in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri as manager this summer, before he publicly stated that the management had failed to disclose the transfer ban they were about to receive for accounting issues. Reports that he could resign were unfounded, but he did say that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Roman club were just as chaotic on the pitch as they were off it, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining opening fixtures, including the Rome derby. Throughout this period, observers have struggled to determine if progress is being made or imploding.
The Youngster's Unforeseen Presence
One individual kept smiling throughout. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to remain with Lazio this year. He spent the previous campaign with Parma on loan and, during the summer break, his owning club were advocating for him to stay there temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. The club couldn't risk to reduce their roster with no new signings.
He joined initially when Sarri was last in charge, at that time a 20-year-old product of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 matches in the league with the club in the 2022-23 season, almost all of those as a substitute. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, would later accuse Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star but then not selecting him."
Finding His Natural Fit
It's possible the coach was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of his skill set. Billed as a flank player when he joined, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as a struggling deputy to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances while playing for Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he scored seven times. Shoehorn
